Gas injection syringe



Dec. 2, 1969 w. A. COOK ET AL 3,481,323

GAs INJECTION sYRINGE Filed March 23, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 2, 1969 w. A. cooK ET AL GAS INJECTION SYRINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1967 BIO ID O 3 Egg.

United States Patent O 3,481,323 GAS INJECTION SYRINGE William A. Cook, Bloomington, Anthony lColby S. van Westrum, Indianapolis, Ind., and Charles T. Dotter and Marcia Kepler Bilbao, Portland, Oreg.; said Cook, Dotter and Bilbao assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Cook, Inc., Bloomington, Ind.

Filed Mar. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 625,358 Int. Cl. A61b 1 9/ 00; A61m 5 /33 U.S. Cl. 128-2 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gas syringe including a piston having a gas cartridge therein and a valve controlling tow of gas from the cartridge to the chamber of the syringe. An opening in the housing of the syringe permits excess gas discharge in one alternative embodiment. In another embodiment a check valve is located downstream of the syringe. Other embodiments are disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to a gas dispenser particularly adapted for use in radiography.

Description of the prior art Only now is gas contrast radiography achieving any real measure of acceptance in medical circles. At least one reason for the previous rejection of this procedure is related to the heavy equipment needed for placing the gas at the proper location within the tissues, organs and regions of the human body. 'Ihe doctor in the past has had to be particularly concerned with whether or not he was injecting the correct amount of gas and whether or not the gas was being injected at the proper rate. In the past there has not been available any device which makes possible accurate convenient control of the rate and amount of gas flow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of the present invention might include a gas dispenser comprising a housing, a piston reciprocably received in said housing, a gas cartridge carried by said piston, said housing and piston defining therebetween a chamber, said housing having an outlet leading from said chamber, a rst valve controlling flow through said outlet, and a second valve controlling flow between said cartridge and cham-ber.

One object of this invention is to provide a gas dispenser capable of accurate convenient control of the rate and amount of gas ow.

A further object of this invention is to provide anv improved gas dispenser.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gas dispenser which does Anot'require sterilization of the entire external surface of a gas cartridge.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a gas dispenser which is constructed so as to be protected from the back flow of liuids and other material `from the patient.

Related objects and advantages Will become apparent as the description proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. l is a side elevation of a gas dispenser embodying the present invention.

3,481,323 Patented Dec. 2, 1969 ICC FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken along the axis of the dispenser of FIG. 1 and showing internal construction thereof.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 of still another alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of a further alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of still a further alternative embodiment 0f the invention.

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line 8 8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specic language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is illustrated a gas syringe 10 which includes a hollow needle 11 having a stopcock 12 secured thereto. The stopcock and needle 12 and 11 are secured to a syringe housing 15 by means of a conventional Luer lock. The housing 15 is constructed of glass or plastic and is transparent and carries calibrations 16 thereon so that the size of the chamber 17 between the housing 15 and the piston 20 can be determined. 1t will be noted that the housing 15 is provided with a radially outwardly projecting lange 21 which surrounds the open end of the housing 15.

The pison 20 is reciprocal in the housing 15 and may be pressed into the housing 15 to force gas out of the chamber 17 and through the stopcock 12 and needle 11 by placing the thumb of one hand on the top 19 and holding flange 21 of the housing against the ngers of the one hand while pressing with the thumb. The piston 20 consists of a first cylindrical member 25 having a cavity 26 therein within which is placed a gas cartridge 27. In order to use the gas cartridge 27 in the gas dispenser ot FIGS. l and 2, the external surface of the gas cartridge is rst sterilized and then the cartridge is placed in the cavity 26. Next, the second member 30 forming a part of the piston 20 is screwed down inside of the member 25 threadedly connecting the members 30 an-d 25 and puncturing the upper end of the gas cartridge by means of the pointed hollow projection 31. The pointed hollow projection 31 is txedly mounted within the member 30 and has a passage 32 therethrough which communicates with a passage 33 through the member 30.

Mounted upon the lower end of the member 25 is a rubber cup or seal member 36 which seals otf the leakage of gas between the piston 20 and the housing 15 out of the chamber 17. The seal 36 has an opening 37 therethrough which is in registry with a passage 40 through the member 25 and which communicates between the cavity 26 and the chamber 17. When the member 30 is screwed into the member 25, an O-ring 41 is drawn ydown into the member 25 sealing ofi the passage of gas between the members 25 and 30. Also, an O-ring 42 is mounted within an inwardly facing groove on the inside the member 30 and functions to seal oit the passage of gas between the neck 45 of the cartridge Vand the member 30.

The gas, which may be, for example, carbon dioxide received within the cartridge 27, is normally provided in the cartridge at a relatively high pressure such as, for example, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 p.s.i. Mounted upon the upper end of the member 30 is a valve 46 which includes a valve body 47 screwed into the member 30. The valve body 47 is provided with a passage 50 which communicates with the passage 33 of the member 30. It can be appreciated that puncturing of the gas cartridge 27 by the projection 31 causes high pressure gas to flow into the passages 32, 33 and 50 but does not permit the high pressure gas to move into the cavity 26 by reason of the sealing action of the O-ring 42. The valve 46 is a conventional needle valve and might be, for example a modified Hoke valve, model No. 1315 H2B manufactured by Hoke Incorporated of Cresskill, NJ. The needle valve 46 is normally maintained closed st that the pointed needle 55 is retained against the seat 5 The position of the needle and the relative amount of opening of the valve 46 is controlled by the threading and unthreading of the head 22. The low pressure portion of the valve 46 includes a chamber 57 through which the needle valve 56 projects, said chamber being formed in the valve body 47. The valve body 47 also has formed therein a passage 60 which leads from the chamber 57 into a section of tubing 61 which in turn leads into a passage 62 communicating with the cavity 26. The tubing `61 is, of course, properly secured to the valve body 47 and to the counterbored portion 65 of the passage 62. The piston further includes the top 19 which mounts the valve 46 and a cylindrical cover portion 67 which extends around the valve body 47 and the tubing 61 and which is threadedly secured to the member 30.

'Ihe gas dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 2 is operated by first sterilizing the complete syringe and the external surface of the gas cartridge. Next, the gas cartridge is placed within the cavity 26 and, as above described, the projection 31 is caused to puncture the cartridge causing gas under pressure to flow upwardly through the passages 32, 33 and 50 against the closed needle 55 of the needle valve 46. Next, the piston 20 is pushed all the way into the housing 15 with the valve 12 open to bleed the air from chamber 17. The valve 12 is then closed. Next, the needle valve 46 is opened a desired amount to cause gas to ow past the needle valve down through the tube 61 into the passage 62 through the cavity 26, the passage 40 and the opening 37 into the chamber 17. As

the gas escapes into the barrel of the syringe, i.e. into the chamber 17, the piston 20 will begin to move in the housing 15 under the pressure of the gas. It should be mentioned that the needle valve 46 should be opened only a very small amount in order to permit the gas to slowly flow into the chamber 17.

When the desired amount of gas is in the chamber 17 as determined by the position of the piston 20, the valve 46 is closed. The piston 20 is then depressed by the usual operation of the syringe to cause the gas to flow through the stopcock 12 and the needle 11 into the desired location. It should be mentioned that the valve 46 is not the only possible type of valve that might be used to control the gas flow into the chamber 17. For example, some sort of push-button valve may be more appropriate and easier for the user of the device to operate. It should be made clear, however, that the valve 46 and any other valve that is used in place of the valve 46 should be capable of producing an extremely small flow of the gas from the cartridge into the chamber 17. The pressure of the gas in the chamber 17, while not entirely down to atmospheric pressure, is relatively low so that the volume of gas in the chamber 17 as determined by the calibrations 16 iS a relatively accurate reading of the quantity of the gas in the chamber 17.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention which operates on the same general principles as the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. l and 2. The embodiment of FIG. 3, however, is provided with a stopcock which leads into exible tubing 101. In many situations, the doctor will prefer to use flexible tubing 101 connecting the gas dispenser and a needle removed at some distance from the gas dispenser. Of course, the stopcock 100 is connected to or mounted upon the housing 102 of the syringe 105 in the same manner as described above by a Luer lock. The piston 106 of FIG. 3 includes a member 107 which has formed in its external surface a pair of grooves receiving Teon seals 110 backed up by O-rings 111. In order to puncture the gas cartridge 112, the member 107 is screwed into a further member having a cavity 116 which receives the cartridge 112.

The operation of the embodiment of FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment of FIGS. l and 2 in that the gas does not flow past the outer surface of the major portion of the cartridge 112 so that the major portion of the cartridge 112 need not be sterilized and only the neck 117 thereof need be sterilized. The member 115 has xedly mounted therein a pointed hollow projection similar to the member 31 and operable identically to the member 31 to puncture the cartridge 112 for providing gas into the passage 121 in the member 115.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 is provided with an angle type needle valve 122 which might be, for example, model No. 1325 H2B manufactured by Hoke Incorporated. This needle valve 122 includes a valve body 125 which is screwed into the member 115 and which has a passage 126 communicating with the passage 121. The needle valve 122 operates identically to the needle valve 46 to control ow from the high pressure passage 126 into a low pressure passage 130 in the valve body 125. The passage 130 leads into tubing 131 which is mounted at its opposite ends in the valve body 125 and in the member 115. The tubing 131 leads into a passage 132 which extends nearly the complete length of the member 115 and leads into a groove 135 in the external surface of the member 107. Mounted on the outer periphery of the member 107 in suitable grooves are a pair of O-rings 136 which seal off the ow of gas between the members 107 and 115 and direct the ilow from the passage 132 into a further passage 137 leading through the member 107. A check valve 140 is mounted in the passage 137 and functions to prevent back flow of gas in the chamber 141 into the passage 137 and above.

Of course, the chamber 141 corresponds to the chamber 17 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. The purpose of the check valve 140 is to prevent blood and other foreign material from flowing out of the chamber 141 back into the passages 137, 132 and 131 when the syringe of FIG. 3 is used to inject gas. The piston 106 further includes a top which is mounted on the body 125 of the valve 122 by a screw 151. Secured between the top 150 and the member 115 is a cover 152 which hides the valve body 125 and the tubing 131.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a further embodiment of the present invention which is identical to that embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the exception that a check valve 200 is provided between the needle 201 and the stopcock 202. The check valve 200 permits downward flow as illustrated in FIG. 4 of fluid but does not permit upward flow of fluid. Thus, the check valve 200 operates to prevent back flow of fluid and other material from the patient without interfering with the flow of gas from the syringe to the patient.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention which is identical to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 except that an attachment 300 is mounted on the housing 301 of the valve 46. The cap 22 is removed from the shaft 302 of the valve and is replaced by a cap 305. The cap 305 has a pin 306 therein which acts to limit the amount of turning of the cap 305 by engaging the abutment 307 integral with the body 310 of the attachment 300. The attachment 300 makes possible an accurate setting of the maximum amount of flow of the valve 46. Thus, either the set screw 311 or 312 can be released and retightened at the desired setting so that, when the cap 305 is turned until the pin 306 engages the abutment 307, the valve 46 is at a setting which permits extremely small flow of the gas from the cartridge 27 into the chamber 17.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is illustrated a syringe 400 which is identical to the syringe 10 except that an opening 401 is provided in the wall of the housing near the open end 402 thereof. The primary purpose of the opening 401 is to prevent Iblow olf of the piston in other words, to prevent the piston 20 from popping out of the housing when gas is placed in the housing. A secondary purpose of the opening 401 is to bring the gas within the syringe to atmospheric pressure so that the quantity of gas within the syringe can be accurately de-y termined by means of the calibrations 16. Of course, care should be taken to prevent air from entering the syringe through the opening 401. This can be accomplished by making the hole 401 small and by raising the piston 20 above it only long enough to permit bleeding of the excess gas from the syringe.

It will be evident from the above description that the present invention provides a gas dispenser capable of accurate convenient control of the lrate and amount of gas flow. The doctor knows exactly how much gas he is placing into the patient and can control the rate of insertion of this gas by controlling the speed with which he depresses the plunger of the syringe. It will also be evident that the embodiment of FIG. 3 does not require sterilization of the entire external surface of the gas cartridge but instead only requires sterilization of the neck 117 thereof because the O-ring 160 mounted within the groove 161 in the member 115 prevents ow of the high pressure gas downwardly into the cavity 116 within which the cartridge 112 is received. Of course, the primary purpose of O-ring 160 is to provide a high pressure seal preventing loss of pressure past the cartridge into the low pressure groove 135 and passages 132 and 137.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas dispenser comprising a housing, a piston reciprocably received in said housing, a gas cartridge carried by said piston, said housing and piston defining therebetween a chamber, said housing having an outlet leading from said chamber, a first valve controlling flow through said outlet, and a second valve controlling flow between said cartridge and chamber, said second valve being capable of being turned off and on and also capable of fine adjustment to permit a suiciently small flow through the second valve to keep the pressure of gas in the chamber as close to atmospheric as possible.

2. A gas dispenser as defined in `claim 1 wherein said housing is closed at one end except for said outlet which extends through said one end, said housing having an outwardly projecting flange at the other end thereof, said piston projecting from the other end thereof whereby the thumb of a hand can be used to depress said piston in said housing with the fingers of the hand bearing against said flange.

3. The gas dispenser of claim 1 wherein said housing is closed at one end except for said outlet which extends through said one end, said housing having an opening adjacent the other end thereof leading from said chamber to the outside of said housing.

4. A gas dispenser comprising a housing, a piston reciprocably received in said housing, a gas cartridge carried by said piston, said housing and piston defining therebetween a chamber, said housing having an outlet leading from said chamber, a first valve controlling ow through said outlet, a second valve controlling ow between said cartridge and chamber, said second valve comprising a housing and a shaft rotatable in said housing to turn on said valve, an attachment having a set screw thereon for securing it to said housing, said attachment having an abutment, a cap secured to said shaft, a pin extending from said cap and engageable with said abutment to limit turning of said cap.

5. A gas dispenser comprising a housing, a piston reciprocably received in said housing, a gas cartridge carried by said piston, said housing and piston defining therebetween a chamber, said housing having an outlet leading from said chamber, a rst valve controlling ow through said outlet, a second valve controlling flow between said cartridge and chamber, said housing being closed at one end except for said outlet which extends through said one end, said housing having an outwardly projecting flange at the other end thereof, said piston projecting from the other end thereof whereby the thumb of a` hand can be used to depress said piston in said housing with the lingers of the hand bearing against said ange, said piston including at least two parts which may be disassembled for removal and replacement of said gas cartridge, O-rings sealing said parts together against the escape of gas, said parts having a cavity therein within which said cartridge is received, a hollow pointed projection mounted on one of said parts and extending into said gas cartridge for conducting gas therefrom, said cartridge having a reduced size neck, an O-ring mounted on said one part and bearing against said neck of said cartridge, said piston having a passage leading from said hollow projection to said chamber, said second valve being a screw type needle valve and arranged to control flow through said passage.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said housing is cylindrical in external and internal configuration, said piston being cylindrical in external configuration, and seal members mounted on said piston and sealing o said chamber against leakage out of said chamber between said housing and piston.

7. The gas dispenser of claim 5 additionally comprising a check valve mounted in said piston and passage adjacent said chamber, said check valve permitting flow into said chamber from said passage but not into said passage out of said chamber.

8. The gas dispenser of claim 6 wherein said second valve includes a regulating screw which projects perpendicularly to the axis of said cylindrical piston.

9. The gas dispenser of claim 6 wherein said housing is transparent and has calibrations on the wall thereof indicating the size of said chamber. v

10. The gas dispenser of claim 6 wherein said second valve includes a regulating screw which is arranged coaxially relative to said piston.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,453 11/ 1931 Wassmer 128-184 XR 2,674,998 4/ 1954 Boehm 128--184 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner M. F. MAJESTIC, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

